We contract with the State of New Hampshire to provide non-medical home care services to very low-income, medically fragile elderly and adults with disabilities in Rockingham County. We provide these home care services under the Homemaker and Adult In-Home Care programs. Project CoolAir was founded by the Agency to address the recognition that for those in need, air conditioning is more than just a convenience - it's a necessity for healthy living.

The Homemaker Program:

We assist with basic home care tasks.

WHAT ARE HOME CARE TASKS:

Meal planning and preparation: cooking, serving and storing food for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks;

Shopping: buying, with funds provided by the client, groceries, clothing or other items for the client;

Laundry: washing, drying, and putting away the client's clothing, and ironing clothing when necessary;

Light housekeeping: washing dishes, dusting, vacuuming, sweeping, wet-mopping floors, cleaning kitchen and bathroom fixtures,and emptying wastebaskets;

Sewing: mending the client's clothing and other household items;

Errands: going to the pharmacy, the post office, library, etc. on behalf of the client;

Socialization/visitation: providing companionship to the client through shared activities like conversation, reading, listening to music, playing a game or assisting with a craft project, etc.;

Relieve family member: providing supervision to relieve a client's primary caregiver;

We may provide up to 10 hours of service a week to a client. This is subject to staff availability and service need.

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The Adult In-Home Care Program:

This program allows for more service hours a week and, in addition to providing assistance with the home care tasks listed in the Homemaker Program, can assist or provide supervision in Activities of Daily Living (ADLs).

WHAT ARE ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING:

Grooming, bathing and shampooing: gathering/handing materials related to bathing, hair care, skin care, brushing teeth, running water, shampooing;

Dressing: helping client put on/remove clothes, shoes and socks;

Eating: arranging place setting, cutting up/mashing food, filling client's fork or spoon, encouraging client to eat, feeding client;

Medication assistance: medication reminders, placing medication containers within reach, opening containers;

Elimination assistance: handing products related to elimination and hygiene care to client;

Ambulation: removing obstacles from client's path, opening doors, accessing cane, walker, or wheelchair;

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Project CoolAir:

Summer heat affects thousands of elderly and chronically ill. In extreme measures, this medically fragile population suffers from a variety of heat-related illnesses, occasionally resulting in heat-related deaths.

Those seniors with respiratory or other breathing difficulties have an especially difficult time during periods of summer heat. Many experience a reduced quality of life during the summer.

Often, those in need of air conditioning "do without" because they do not have the money or know where to seek assistance.

The dramatic loss of elderly people during heat waves in the past years in Europe and Chicago has raised the awareness of the importance of this public health problem.

For information on this program, please send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

THE SOLUTION:

Project CoolAir teams with local housing authorities, local organizations, and merchants to raise the funds and make the purchase to provide air conditioners to elderly residents. Many of these elderly reside in public housing.

Qualification is based on income, medical condition, and the absence of air conditioning.

THE RESULTS:

In the past three years, Project CoolAir has purchased hundreds of air conditioners for elderly in the Seacoast area. This project addresses a serious health isssue among this population.

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Please refer to the How to Apply for Services page if you are interested in these programs.